2 Newark men arrested on heroin charges

Two Newark men were arrested Tuesday after plainclothes officers from the Essex County Sheriff's Department saw them conduct an alleged drug deal near the intersection of Norfolk and Hartford streets in the city.Google Maps

NEWARK — Two Newark men were arrested on numerous narcotics charges Thursday after plainclothes officers from the Essex County Sheriff’s Department watched them conduct an alleged drug deal near the intersection of Norfolk and Hartford streets, a release from the department said.

Officers from the sheriff’s bureau of narcotics saw a man, later identified as Jamil Soto, 23, an alleged member of the Crips street gang, talk briefly with a passer-by, the release said. Soto then flashed a hand signal to another man, identified as Marquise Cruz, 21.

Cruz then jumped a nearby fence and retrieve something from a residential cable box, according to the statement. The object was then exchanged for cash with the passer-by, later identified as Gilberto Figueroa, 46, also of Newark.

The officers, who were conducting surveillance in response to residents’ complaints of open-air drug trafficking, followed Figueroa then stopped and detained him, the release said.

He was arrested after the sheriff's officers found two glassine envelopes stamped "INVISIBLE BULLY" in blue ink and containing suspected heroin.

Soto and Cruz were then arrested and charged with the sale of a controlled dangerous substance, two counts each of possession of CDS, possession of CDS with intent to distribute and possession of CDS with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of University Heights Charter School, as well as conspiracy.

They were arraigned Friday. Bail for Soto and Cruz was set at $80,000 each.

Figueroa was issued a summons for possession of CDS and released. He will be arraigned next week.